Natick police chief says wide response needed to rise in drug ODs

Thursday

Apr 3, 2014 at 6:30 AMApr 3, 2014 at 8:42 PM

By Brian BensonDaily News Staff

NATICK – Police Chief James Hicks Thursday challenged residents, leaders and others to face the reality that drug overdoses are a problem that must be solved by the entire community working together."We’re no different than any other town in the commonwealth or any other town in the nation. We have a problem," Hicks said while speaking to the Charles River Rotary Club. "It’s time that we get our head out of the sand and say ‘What are we going to do about this?’"Hicks and other speakers told Rotarians gathered at Fisk Memorial United Methodist Church that the solution includes police working to arrest drug dealers, raising awareness in the community about the drug crisis and addictions and educating children at about the dangers of alcohol and marijuana.Hicks said two people have died in Natick in recent months from overdoses. Natick police have responded to eight overdoses so far this year, a statistic that has climbed in recent years.Officers noticed they have responded to more drug-related calls and realized "we have to change our priority and we have to look at the drug situation here in Natick," Hicks said.The town’s proposed fiscal 2015 budget includes a new officer, the addition of which will help the department better investigate drug crimes. And, Hicks said, he is working on getting the opiate overdose reversal drug Narcan into the hands of public safety workers, though that is not the entire solution.Hicks said kids need to learn at an early age about the risks of alcohol and marijuana, which can lead to the use of addictive drugs. Katie Sugarman, executive director of Natick Together for Youth, said parents do not need to wait until middle or high school to start talking with their children about alcohol. Kids will be exposed to alcohol advertising as soon as they watch professional sports events, she said.By the time children turn 11, their opinions about drugs and alcohol have often already formed, Sugarman said.Sugarman and Christine Fortune Guthery, president of the organization SPARK Kindness, agreed with Hicks that it is essential for everyone in town to be part of the solution.Ed McGrath, president of Charles River Rotary Club, said after the meeting that club members had decided to have Hicks speak because they recognize illegal drug use as a problem that has "exploded" recently and they wanted to raise awareness about it."I as chief of police am not gong to solve this problem alone," Hicks said. "I don’t have the resources. The resources we need are so broad, it’s everyone in community."Hicks added: "We have young members who are dying. I can’t make it any more pointed than that."Brian Benson can be reached at 508-626-3964 or bbenson@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @bbensonmwdn.

Market Place

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
MetroWest Daily News, Framingham, MA ~ 33 New York Ave., Framingham, MA 01701 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service